Self-dumping mechanism for goal-elevators



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. WALKER.

SELF DUMPING MECHANISM FOR GOAL ELEVATORS.

No 517,782. Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

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SELF 'DUMPING MEGHANISM'FOR GOAL ELEVATORS. No. 517,782. Patented Apr. 3,1894.

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(No Model.)-- 3 SheetsSheet 3.

V A. WALKER.- I SELF DUMPING MEGHANISM FOR GOAL ELEVATORS. No. 517,782.

Patented Apr. 3, 1894.

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1145 NATIONAL umoolAPl-lmu l a. IIIIO VIAIHINGTON. o. c.

' e U ITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER WALKER, or WHAT GHE'ERQIOWA. 1

SELF-D-UMPING- MECHANISM FOR GOAL-ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,782,dated April 3, 1894.

Application filed January 3,1894. Serialllo. 495,535. (No model.)

. for Coal-Elevators, &c., of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to mine elevators,

particularly designed for coal mines or shafts,

but useful for hoisting minerals or materials generally in cars, or wheeled vehicles which are unloaded after they are elevated.

The invention has for its object to provide novel, simple, efficient, and durable devices for automatically dumping or unloading-the cars when they are raised to the desired point by the hoisting mechanism. 7

To accomplish this object my invention consists in the features of construction and'the combination or arrangement of devices here inafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in whichs Figure 1 is a front elevation of an elevator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the bifurcated bearings and the car rails; and Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the'oscillatory car dumping frame. 7

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now describe the same in detail, referring to the drawings, wherein Y The numerals 5 indicate the uprights or timbers forming a part of the shaft of the elevator, in which the platform or cage 6 is adapted to move vertically. The platform or cage may be provided with .vertical guidestrips 7 engaging fixed vertical guides 8 forming parts of the elevator-shaft, for the purpose of accurately guiding the platform or cage in its movements. The opposite sides of the elevator-shaft are provided, at the points where the cars are to be dumped or unloaded, with inclined chutes 9. and oscillatory cardumping frames 10 carried by rods 12, which are provided with crank-shaped arms 13 jour-' naled in bearings 14. at the upperends of the chutes. p

The car-dumping frames are provided with parallel car-rails 15, having their outer end portions curved upwardly into segments 16,

in suchmanner as to partially encircle the' car Wheels of the mining cars 17 when the latter are run out upon the car-dumping frames for the purpose of dumping or unloading the cars. The rods 12 of the car-dumping frames are so arranged to support the latter that when the cars are run out upon the dumping frames, theouter end portions of the latter will be overbalanced, and the cars caused to tilt'for discharging their contents into the chutes.

'lhe chutes and car-dumping frames are located at two opposite sides of the elevatorshaft, in order that the cars, containing the coal,- or other minerals" or materials, can be dumped or unloaded at either side of the elevator-shaft, according to the circumstances required, particularly where it is desired to dump or unload the coal into one chute, and to dump or unload dirt, clay, slate, 850., into is arranged a pair of car rails 21, connected at each end portion bya cross-bar 22, having their ends arranged in and adapted to turn on the bifurcated or open bearings. The end portions of the cross-bars project over the slots 19, so that when the platform or cage is mitted to slightly descend,either end portion of the rails can be stopped by prop-arms 23, for the purpose of causing the rails toasume an inclined position relatively tothe platform or cage, for the purpose of causing the loaded car to automatically run out'upon the oscillatory car-dumping frame at either side, of the elevator-shaft, in order'to automatically dump or unload the car. v

The devices for stopping and supportingthe platform or cage at the desired point, after it the other chute at the opposite side of the 7 elevated to the desired point, and then perhas been slightly lowered to incline the car rails, as above described, are composed of swinging frames 2 1, pivoted to the upright timbers 5 and connected by links with a vertically-movable rod 26, which, at its upper end, is pivoted to a horizontally arranged lever 27. This lever is pivoted to one of the upright timbers 5, and is provided with ahandle portion 28 by which to manipulate it for swinging the frames 24 inward or outward, according to the conditions required. When the lever 27 is operated to swing the frames 2 1 outward, the platform or cage can freely pass by these frames; but when the platform or cage has arrived at a point above these frames, the lever can be operated to swing the frames inward, so that when the platform or cage is slightly lowered, it will rest upon and be supported by the frames in such manner that the car rails on the cage or platform will lie in coincidence with the car rails of the oscillatory car-dum ping frames, in order that the cars can be run out upon the dumpin g-frames.

The two prop-arms 23, at each side of the elevator-shaft are rigidly secured to a rockshaft 29, having at one end a crank-arm 30. The crank-arms 30 of the two rock-shafts are connected bya link 31,and one of the crankarms is extended into, or otherwise provided with a lever-handle 32, by operating which the two rock-shafts are simultaneously turned in their bearings on the upright timbers 5 of the elevator-shaft. When the platform or cage is hoisted to the point where the cars are to be dumped or unloaded,the lever-handle 32 is operated to swing one pair of the prop-arms 23 into a pair of the slots 19, so that this pair of prop-arms will lie in the path of one of the cross-bars 22. The lever 27 is manipulated to throw the frames 2r inward, so that they will support the platform or cage when the latter is slightly lowered. Thelow ering of the platform or cage causes the crossbar 22 to strike the prop-arms 23, and when the platform or cage rests upon the frames 24:, the rails 21 will stand in an inclined position, thereby causing the car to run down the inclined rails upon one of the dumping frames. The segmental portion 16 of the rails 15 will stop the car at the proper point, and the weight of the load on the outer portion of the dumping-frame will cause the latter to tilt and thereby render it possible to dump or unload the car into one of the cl utes 9. The pair of prop-arms which supports the rails 21 in the inclined position, above stated, is now moved outward by manipulating the leverhandle 32, so that the rails 21 will fall to a horizontal position on the platform or cage, whereupon the empty car can be run back upon the rails 21, and then be lowered in the elevator shaft. Before lowering the platform or cage, the supporting frames 241 are swung outward by operating the lever 27.

It will be obvious that either pair of proparms 23 can be moved into the proper position to support the rails 21, according to theside of the elevator-frame at which the car 1s to be dumped or unloaded.

In hoisting a loaded car it is desirable thatit be prevented from undue movement on the car-rails 21; and, in order to accomplish th s by very simple devices which are automatically operated, I provide the platform or cage with movable chock-blocks, adapted to be moved across the rails 21 between the wheels of the car, so that these chock-blocks prevent the car running on the railsin either direction. The chock-blocks are, preferably, in the form of bell-crank "levers, pivoted at their angle to brackets or bearings 34 attached to the platform or cage. The arms 35 of the chock-blocks can be thrown across the rails 21 by raising the arms 36; and this is accomplished by connecting the arms 36 by rods 37 and chains 38, or other suitable connections with the hoisting cable 18, so that the instant the cable commences to hoist or raise the platform or cage, the arms 36 are elevated, and the arms 35 of the chock-blocks are thrown across the rails 21 between the car wheels. \Vhen the cage or platform is lowered and rests upon the supporting frames 24, the tension on the hoisting-cable is relieved, and the arms 36 of the chock-blocks, which are the heaviest or weighted, will antomatically descend and move the arms 35 out of the path of the car wheels, so that the car can then be run along the rails 21 onto one of the car-dumping platforms 10, as here- .inbefore explained.

The automatic operation of the chock-blocks is a very desirable feature, in that it renders special attention to this particular part of the mechanism unnecessary, while the chockblocks operate in a very efficient manner to accomplish the purpose in hand.

The invention provides new and improved means for automatically dumping or unloading cars which are hoisted to the desired elevations by the platform or cage. The mechanism is simple, efficient, and economical, and has been found perfectly satisfactory in practical operation. The arrangement of the several parts is such that coal can be hoisted and unloaded into the inclined chutes at one side of theelevator-shaft; while dirt, clay, slate, and other substances, which it is not desirable to dump in the same chute as the coal, can be dumped into the inclined chute at the opposite side of the elevator-shaft. By providing the bifurcated or open bearings on the platform or cage, the connected rails 21 can be readily removed to leave the platform or cage substantially clear whenever it is desired to utilize the elevator for' other purposes, such as loweringmules, timber, 850., into the mine. While the connected rails 21 can be readily removed and replaced, they are retained in practical operative connection with the platform or cage; and these bearin gs serve to properly support either end portion of the rails when the latter are brought of the prop-arms. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl to an inclined position through the medium 1. The combination of the platform or cage having a pair of slots 19 at each end, the car rails removably arranged in hearings on the platform, rock-shafts 29 having cranks 30 and prop-arms 23 which are adapted to enter the end slots of the platform, a link 31 connectmg the crank arms of the vrock-shafts, and a lever handle 32 for operating the crank-arms ranged lever 27 pivoted intermediate its extremities and at one extremity pivoted to the vertically movable rod for operating the latter, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the platform or cage of an elevator, and car-rails thereupon, of chock-blocks movable across the rails to chock the car-Wheels, and connections between the chock-blocks and the hoisting cable, substantially as described.

4:. The combination with the platform or cage of an elevator, and car rails thereupon, of pivoted chock-blocks each composed of two arms, onewof which is adapted to move across the rails, and the other one of which is connected with the hoisting cable, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALEXANDER WALKER.

Witnesses:

J AMES DAVISON, JESSE SOUTHWIOK. 

